Sand-molding apparatus.



No. 697,386. Patented Apr. S, |902.

S. J. ADAMS.

SAND MLDING APPARATUS.

` (Application filed Mar. 30, 1897.) No Model.)

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No. 697,386. Patented Apr. 8, |902.

s. J. ADAMS.

SAND MULDING APPARATUS. l

iApplcation led Mar. 30, 1897.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEICEQ STEPHEN JARVIS ADAMS, OFPITTSBU'RG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO MAROE'LLIN C. ADAMS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAND-MOLDING APPARATUS.

sPEciErcAricN forming pare er Letters Patent No. 697,386, dated April s, 1902.

Application ined March so, 1897.

'To ctZZ whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN JARvIs ADAMS, 'a resident of Pittsburg, in the county of Alle- 'gheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in 'Sand-Molding Apparatus; and I do hereby ldeclare the following to be a full, clear, and "exact description thereof.

My invention relates to apparatus for forming molds, -and particularly to apparatus 'adapted to form molds by what is known as the jarring process, where the sand is placed around the patterns which project npwardlywithin the flask, asurplus of sand being held in a reservoir above the flask and the whole mass is raised upon a table or support, which is permitted to drop or descend 'quickly and strike a stationary block, and so impart a jar to the sand within the iask, a sufficient number of these jars being imparted thereto to compact the sand. This way of forming molds has been very successful and largely used.

The present invention isdevised to overcome certain diiiiculties-with the apparatus 'heretofore employed for the purpose, the principal difticulties of which will be hereinafter stated.

It was found that with the ordinary apparatus it was difficult to provide an'absolutely vertical drop to the flask, and therefore that as the jar was not in an exact perpendicular direction and the jarA was the means of packing the sand the sand in`following the direc- "tion of the jar would pack in one side or end of the mold or against one side or face of the pattern more perfectly than against that opposite thereto. Y

One object of the present invention is to provide fo'r an absolutely vertical drop, so as to get a perpendicular jar, and this is accomplished, first, by providing lifting mechanism connected with the jarring apparatus by a flexibleconnection and mounting the jarring apparatus in vertical guides a sufficient distance apart to insure absolutely vertical movement in jarring.

In the practice of the jarring process above described the reservoir, which rested upon the top of the flask, consisted of a shallow frame open at both ends, and it was found that the serial No. 629,919. (No moda.)

jarring stroke caused a rebound in this shallow body of sand within the frameand in the .upper part ofthe flask, and that though the sand would be packed evenly and solidly -around the lower portions of the patterns it was liable, on account of this rebound, to be insufficiently packed in the upper part of the flask; and one object of the present invention is to provide for the even packing of the vmold throughout by the employment of a long sand-feeding chute, which is of a sufcient vlength to provide a body of sand which will prevent rebound of sand within the flask, and therefore that the sand fed therefrom into the flask while aected by the jar cannot rebound, which insures the proper packing of the sand within the flask.

The regular custom has been to support the movable reservoir directly upon the flask, which has made it necessary to employ a shallow reservoir,as a reservoir of sufficient length to provide a body of sand which will prevent rebound of sand within the flaskwould be too heavy for handling, and this difficulty I overcome by supporting the sand-feeding chute upon the jarring-table independent of the iask, providing for the insertion ofthe flask by a horizontal movement under this chute and providing means for cutting off between the chute and flask, so that after the formation of the mold it can be handled for the withdrawal of the patterns or of the steps in connection with the formation thereof.

My invention also consists in certain other improvements looking to these general ends, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make 1 and use my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanyingv i 4, Figi.

VIbo

sleeker; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the flask and the base of the sand-feeding chute, illustrating the cutting and sleeking of the mold, said view being partly broken away.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

The construction of the apparatus is well shown in the drawings, which I will now describe, the general parts of it being the framework A, which rises from the bed or floor b', which also supports the jarring-block l), said framework being composed of upright standards a and any suitable cross-beams a a2. The apparatus has also the jarring-table c and the sand-feeding chute which is,at least during the jarring operation, supported on said table independently of the flask, being preferablyperlnanentlysupportedonthetable. The upright standards a carry suitable guides or guideways which, as shown, are placed a sufficient distan ce apart to insure the absolutely Vertical movement of the jarring-table and sand-feeding chute. As illustrated, there are the lower guideways c, which are engaged by guides e on the jarring-table c, and the upper guideways f, engaged by guides f near the upper end of the chute d. As it is desirable to protect the guides and guideways from contact with the sand, which is liable to cut and wear into the same, I prefer to extend the guides e upwardly from the jarring-table c to a point above the base of the chute d, so that there will be no liability to the sand entering between the guides and guideways. The sand-feeding chute is supported some distance above the jarring-table on suitable legs CZ d2, the legs d' being placed two on each side near to the front and back faces of the chute, while the legs (Fare placed about midway and provide bearings for the cams g, which act to clamp upon the jarring-table the flask 7L in which the mold is made, the ask 7L having lugs 7L in line with said cams g, so that after the flask is inserted under the sand-feeding chute the cams may be thrown down by means of the handles g and force the flask against the jarring-table and hold it firmly during the jarring operation. Suitable rests or supports for the handles g when the cams are not in use may be provided upon the legs d2. It will be noticed that between the flask 7L and chute (l a slight space is left, as at 712, this 'space being provided for the passage of the cutting and sleeking mechan ism, referred to hereinafter.

The sand-feeding chute is made with a slight upward taper, increasing gradua'llyin diameter from the top to the bottom, so as to prevent the sand from sticking therein. It is preferable to make this chute from eight to ten feet in height, so that it will hold a large body of sand and that the sand in the lower part thereof will be sufficiently packed in any ordinary diameter of chute to maintain the weight of the sand above without dropping out. Its principal function is to resist any' tendency to rebound of the sand within the flask, providing in this way a body of sand which can only be caused to move by the jars imparted to the chute and which will remain therein when the flask is withdrawn from under the chute and before it is again placed thereunder for the making of the next mold. If any difhculty is experienced in the holding of the sand in the chute, it can be overcome by the employment of a few wires (Z3, extending across the base thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 4; but this is only necessary in forming molds of considerable width. The supply of sand may be maintained within the sandfeeding chute in any suitable way, being fed thereto by proper mechanism. One suitable way is illustrated in Fig. 2, in which a suitable stationary reservoir t' is provided at one side of and above the sand-feeding chute, and below the said reservoir t' and above the chute (1 is a sand-transfer box fi, which rests on the platform i2 and slides from said platform over the sand-feeding chute so as to receive sand from the reservoir t' and feed it thereto, the transfer-box carrying a plate t3, extending back from the upper edge thereof, so as to close the reservoir 1l when the sand is being fed into the chute (l. The necessary movement can be imparted to the transfer-boxt' bya piston-rod i, operated bysuitable means or any other suitable mechanism.

In order to raise and lower the jarring-table and its sand-feeding chute, I may employ any suitable vertically-moving mechanism operating in any suitable way, the preferable way being by steam or air pressure, operating within an engine K, having a cylinder 7c, which operates through the piston 7c a piston-rod 7a2, from which the sand-feeding'chute cl is suspended by a flexible support Z, which is preferably for-med of a wire rope, the advantage of this construction being that the power to lift the table and chute being applied through a flexible connection permits the same to move as guided from the frame, and therefore permits itto move in an exactly vertical course in dropping, the liftingmechanisin having no control whatever upon the dropping of the table and its chute. In order to give a direct upward pull of the wire rope Z to the chute, it is passed first around a pulley 7c3 at the base of the piston-rod 7a2 and thence passes around the pulleys W, supported on the cross-beam a and in such position that the rope then passes in a true vertical course down to the loops Z2, by which itis connected on each side to the sand-feeding chute (l. The admission andlescape of air to the cylinder 7a of the lifting-engine is controlled by any suitable valve mechanism operating through the valve-chest m, the Valve-rod m being under any suitable control. The construction of the engine will of course require a rapid escape of the air to permit the jarring stroke; but this can be obtained by the use of IOO IIO

acylinder somewhat longer than the stroke, which will at the same time permit the piston to cushion before reaching the lower end of the cylinder,while the stroke of' the piston and its rod may be controlled by a suitable stop n, the piston-rod extending up through the upper cross-beam a2, to which the cylinder lo is connected, and having a head or enlargement n, which engages with said stop a, a l

block bof course depends upon the mold be-` ing made and the particular stroke for the packing of the sand. On an average Aa lift of about one foot will be suffi-cient, and the cylinder and valve mechanism can ofcourse be made of proper construction to give such stroke, permitting a free-drop and the cushioning of the piston.

It will of course be understood thatthe sand is packed solidly in the lower part ofy the f eeding-chute and theupper part of the flask and that before the finished mold can be withdrawnv this sand must be properly cut,v

so as. to permit the withdrawalY of the flask.'

about one-half an inch in width. To cutoff the sand, 1 employ a cutting .and sleeking frame p, which, as shownin the drawings, is formed of a light frame having two arms p',

extending-forward and carrying at the front end a wire p2,stretchcd taut between said. arms, the arms being of a thickness such asv to pass easily through the space h2 between the flask and chute, so that when this frame is pushed horizontally through said space the thin wire-cutter will cut through the sand and so form a division thereof, separating the sandv within the flask from that within the chute. As the wire-cutter forms a rough surface upon the sand in order to sleek thev sand'- within the flask and also to aid iii-packing the sand at the base of the feeding-chute, I employ` back of the sand-cutter the sand-sleeker p3, which, as shown, is formed of a slat corresponding inA thickness to the frame p and tapering gradually to anedge-on one or both sides, as at p4, so that as the wire cuts throughthe sand this sleeker will followit and smooth over the surface of the sand both aboveand below it, preferably having this action both in the entering and withdrawing stroke of the frame and so smoothing the surface ofthe iinishedmold and packingthe sand up into' liask may either all bel drawn from the sand feeding chute or a certain portion of'rmealy sand, such as will conform more perfectly to the patterns r, which extend up'from the pattern-plate r into the flask h, may first be filled around said patternsbefore the pattern-plate and flask are placed in position under the sandfeeding' chute, such` feeding of-1 mealy sand being accomplished by hand or inany suitable way. Y The pattern-platmwiththe flask resting thereon,is placed on the jarring-table c under the sand-feeding chute and is clamped in place by the cams g. The apparatusis then ready for the making of the mold a-nd through the movement of the valve mechanism controls the lifting-engine K. `The jarringtable and its sand-feeding chute are raised and dropped, so thatthe jarring-table c strikes the jarring-block b 'and impartsl the' jar to g the same,the action of which is to jarthe sand from the sand-feeding chutefdownintolthe,

flask, eitherviillingl the flask entirelythrough said chute when the empty flask, with its patl terns,lisfplaced underthe same or filling the portion'of the flask unfilled with sand. In so doing the sand fromthe chute acts as a weight upon thesand in the flask and preventsthe rebound' ofL the sand from the jar in the upper part'ofthe flask, which'has been the'serious defect in vprior methods employed in this system of molding, so that the entire effectof the. jar in packing the sand within the flask is ob-y tained,-thefwhole body of sand-within the long feeding-chute moving. down at each jar and holding the sand to the position brought bythe jar without"` permitting any rebound thereof, theonlyrebound being in the sand inthe upper part of the sand-feeding chute, where it can haveno eect wh'ateverupon the IOO sand packed within the flask. Any suitable l number of jars may thus be imparted to the sand-within-the iiask and. chute to Igivefthe necessary degree of solidity Within the iiask,w

as can be easily dcterminedaccording to the length of the stroke and the depth of the mold to be formed. When-the mold-is completed, the operator grasps thefcutting and-sleeking frame p and pushes it through the space h2 between the flask and chute, and -the'wire'p2 cuts through thes'and, while the sleeker p3, following the wire, smooths the surface of the sand both ofthe mold and at the bottom of the chute, so finishing theftop surface off-the mold and aiding in the packing ofthe sandat IIO the base of the chute,which will increase the I hold thereof and assist it i-n holding the mass of sand-above it. The clampinglcams g are thenwithdrawnand the flask drawn out hori- Zontally andthe patternswithdrawn audany necessaryy cores insertedf inv the mold,h thus completing it. A newflask m'ay'then be placed nponthe-pattern-plate and they operation repeated.`

The sandwit-hin 'the 'feeding-chute can be maintained at the kproper heightl by means `of* anyV suitable feeding fmechanism,

such Y as that shown-in VFig.- 2,1the .operator moving the tran ster-box c, which has received sand from the stationary reservoir i, over the chute d at suitable intervals.

Vith the special apparatus above described and mounted in the way shown certain other advantages are obtained, such as the guiding of the movement of the jarring-table and its sand-feeding chute in practically perfect verticallines. Thisis accomplished, first, because it is mounted in guides at a distance apart so that even if there was tendency to side movement it would be well resisted by such guiding means, and, further, on account of the flexible connection between the lifting means, such as the lifting-engine, above described, and the jarring-table or its chute. The advantage from this device is that even it' there be a tendency to side movement in the lifting mechanism on account of the ilexible connection used this tendency cannot be imparted to the actual jarring mechanism. Therefore such jarring as would cause a packingof the sand to one side or the other of the ask is prevented.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In sand-moldingapparatus,the combination of a jarring-table, a flask, and a sandfeeding chute supported on the table independent of the flask,substantially as set forth.

2. In sand-molding apparatus, the combination of a jarring-table, a flask, and a sandfeeding chute permanently supported on the jarring-table independent of the flask, substantially as set forth.

3. In sand-moldingapparatus,the combination of a jarring-table, a flask, a sand-feeding chute supported on the table independent of the flask, and clamping means between said flask and chute, substantially as set forth.

4. In sand-moldingapparatus, the combination of a jarring-table, a liask, a sand-feeding chute supported on the table independent of the iask, and cams on the sand-feeding chute engaging with the fiask, substantially as set forth.

5. In sand-moldingapparatus, the combination of a jarring-table, a flask, a sand-feeding chute above the flask, stationary Vertical guideways, guides on the chute engaging said stationary guideways,and mechanism for rais*- ing the table and chute, substantially as set forth.

6. In sand-molding apparatus, the combination of a jarring-table, a sand-feeding chute permanently secured above the same, guides engaging with said table and with the upper part of said chute, and lifting mechanism for raising the table and chute, substantially as set forth.

7. In sand-moldingapparatus, the combination of a jarring-table, a sand-feeding chute permanently secured thereon, guides engaging with the table and with the upper end of the chute, lifting mechanism above the chute and a iiexible connection between said lifting mechanism and the chute, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In san d-molding apparatus, the combination of a jarring-table, a sand-feeding chute permanently secured thereon, a lifting-engine above and connected to the chute and having a piston-rod extending above the engine, a head on said piston-rod and a stop engaging the said head, substantially as set forth.

9. In sand-molding apparatus, the combination of a jarring-table, a sand-feeding chute permanently secured thereon, lifting mechanism above the chute having a vertical depending rod carrying a pulley, guided pulleys above the 'chute and a flexible connection passing from said chute over said guided pulleys and over the pulleyon the depending rod, substantially as set forth.

l0. In sand-molding apparatus, the combination of a jarring-table, a flask, a sand-feeding chute supported on the table a short distance above the top of the flask and cutting mechanism adapted to pass horizontally through the space between the chute and flask, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

ll. In sand-molding apparatus, the combi nation of a jarring-table, a flask, asand-feeding chute supported on the table a short distance above the top of the flask, and a cutting-frame carrying a wire, said frame being adapted to pass within the space-between the fiask and chute, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. In sand-molding apparatus, the combination of a jarring-table, a flask, a sand-feeding chute supported on the table ashort distance above the top of the flask, and a cutting-frame carrying a wire and back of the same a sleeker, and adapted to pass in the space between the flask and chute substantially as set forth.

13. In sand-molding apparatus, the combination of a jarring-table, a ask and a sandfeeding chute supported on the table independently of the fiask and having wires extending across near the base thereof to support the sand therein, substantially as set forth. I

14. In sand-molding apparatus, the combination of a jarring-table, a ask, a sand-feeding chute supported on and movable with the jarring-table, a permanent sandreservoir above and at one side of the chute and a hori- Zontally-moving transfer-box adapted to receive the sand from the reservoir and pass over and deliver it to the chute, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said STEPHEN .IARVIS ADAMS, have hereunto set my hand.

STEPHEN JARVIS ADAMS.

Witnesses: l

ROBERT C. ToTTEN, RoBT. D. TOTTEN.

ICO

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